Stevie Wonder to Play 'Songs in the Key of Life' in Full

Stevie Wonder will perform his landmark 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life in its entirety for the first time ever as part of his annual House Full of Toys benefit concert at L.A. Live on December 21st. The singer announced his plan today at a press conference for the charity, which helps children in need during the holiday season. Wonder then performed one of the album's hits, "Sir Duke," which several attendees caught on video.

For the past few years, the music icon has performed at the benefit concert. In 2011, the performer oversaw a four-hour marathon that included appearances by Justin Bieber, Drake and host Steve Harvey. It lasted so long, that the singer offered to pay the overtime fees himself, as he went on to play songs like "Higher Ground," "Sir Duke" and "What Christmas Means to Me." And last year, despite a sore throat, Wonder dressed in a Santa suit and performed a set that included "Superstition" and "Living in the City," as well as a cover of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On."

He also used his time at the event to advocate for tighter gun laws, following the school shooting last December in Newtown, Connecticut. "I think people can't think like they're living in the wild, wild west going into 2013," he said. "With guns and their accessibilities, there have to be stronger and stricter gun laws."At the time, he hinted that he had some new projects in the work. He told Rolling Stone in June that he was working on an album called When the World Began that would find him accompanied by an orchestra. He's also working on a spiritual record, Gospel Inspired by Lula, in tribute to his mother, as well as another album he's calling Ten Billion Hearts

Oct302013

The Who to Launch 'Last Big Tour' in 2015

The Who are planning a massive world tour for 2015 - and it'll likely be your last chance to see them. "That will be the last big tour," Roger Daltrey tells Rolling Stone. "People have read that wrong though. We aren't finishing after that. We intend to go on doing music until we drop, but we have to be realistic about our age. The touring is incredibly grinding on the body and we have to draw a line in the sand somewhere. This will be the last old-fashioned, big tour."

Contrary to reports, the tour will not be in celebration of the band's 50th anniversary. "Our anniversary is actually right now," says Daltrey. "We were the Who fifty years ago this month. To us, 2015 is just another year."

The Who spent the last couple of years playing Quadrophenia throughout America and Europe, but next time out they will center the show around their vast catalog of hits. "People don't want new stuff," says Daltrey. "The fans might want that, but most people that want to come to a show want to hear what they grew up with. Let's not kid ourselves. We will always sell more tickets if we play the hits. That's a fact. The economics of the road, obviously, demand that you sell a lot of tickets."

Fans hoping to hear the Who break out rarities like The Who by Numbers deep cut "Slip Kid" are going to be disappointed. "It's easy for fans to stick their heads in the sand and not understand the economics of touring," Daltrey says. "It's incredibly expensive to put on a show, so you have to put bums in seats. There might be 40,000 total people in America who want to hear 'Slip Kid.' That won't be enough to put us on the road. That's the problem."

While there are no firm plans at the moment, the band might record new material next year. "We're hoping to do an album," says Daltrey. "If we play any of those songs, we'll have to do them in separate shows and announce that ahead of time. If people want to buy those tickets in great numbers, fabulous."

After the tour wraps, Daltrey hopes that the Who can find new ways to stage concerts. "Maybe that means sitting down in a theater for a couple of weeks," he says. "That means you travel to once place, but you're stationed there. You aren't touring. It's the touring, the schlepping, that kills you. The music is a joy. The two hours on stage every night is a joy, even though it's incredibly strenuous. The schlepping and changing hotels every day, that can become incredibly hard work."

Oct302013

Susan Boyle will make history with her upcoming Christmas single.

Elvis Presley, Susan Boyle: Making History on Christmas Duet

Susan Boyle will make history with her upcoming Christmas single.

London's Daily Mail says her studio-created duet with Elvis Presley on "O Come All Ye Faithful" will make her the first British artist to perform with the King of Rock and Roll. Boyle recently recorded a vocal track that will blend with Presley's from his 1971 Christmas album.

Boyle tells Sky News, "I remember his music being played in the house growing up quite a lot -- and I used to love going to see some of his films."